psychological explanations: psychodynamic

Question 1

what are the strengths to this explanation

Answer 1

• Goreta et al (1991) conducted a Freudian style meta analysis of 10 offenders referred for psychiatric treatment. Disturbances in superego formation were diagnosed. Experienced unconscious feelings of guilt and the need for self punishment- she explained these were the consequences of an over harsh superego, the need for punishments leads to the desire to commit crimes

Question 2

what are the weaknesses (3)

Answer 2

• central principles to inadequate superego are not supported. Would expect harsh parents to raise children who constantly feel guilty but evidence suggests the opposite: parents who rely on harsher forms of discipline tend to raise children who are rebellious and rarely express feelings of guilt and self-criticism (Kochanska et al. 2001). Questions relationship between punitive internal parent and excessive feelings of guilt within the child.
• Freudian theory is gender biased: assumes girls develop weaker superego than boys bc girls don’t experience intense emotion and anxiety from castration anxiety so are less likely to identify with mothers. Rates of imprisonment show the opposite- UK 20x more men in prison than women. Study by Hoffman on resisting temptation in kids (1975) found hardly any gender difference, girls were more moral than boys. Shows there is alpha bias.
• theory is only based on association between maternal deprivation and offending. Lewis (1954) analysed data drawn from interviews of 500 young people and found that maternal deprivation was a poor predictor of future offending and the ability to form close relationships in adolescence. Not a causal relationship and are other reasons for the link like growing up on poverty.

Question 3

what are the three parts to the psychodynamic explanation

Answer 3

• the inadequate superego
• theory of maternal deprivation
• 44 thieves study

Question 4

who proposed this

Answer 4

Blackburn (1993)

Question 5

what did Blackburn (1993) suggest

Answer 5

if the Superego is deficient or inadequate then offending behaviour is innevitable because the id is given free rein and not properly controlled

Question 6

what are the three types of inadequate superego

Answer 6

• the weak superego
• the deviant superego
• the over-harsh superego

Question 7

explain a weak superego

Answer 7

if same gender parent is absent during phallic stage a child cannot internalise a fully formed superego bc no opportunity for identification.

Question 8

explaian a deviant superego

Answer 8

if a superego that a child internalises has immoral/deviant values this would lead to offending behaviour e.g. a boy raised by a criminal father.

Question 9

explain an over-harsh superego

Answer 9

-healthy ego based on identification with parent who has firm rules but forgives transgressions. An excessively punitive or overly harsh parenting style leads to a child with an over-harsh superego with crippling guilt and anxiety

Question 10

explain the role of emotion

Answer 10

• the psychodynamic approach deals with the emotional life of the individual and acknowledges the role of anxiety and guilt in the development of offending behaviour as well as lack of guilt.
• the effect of the inadequate superego is to allow primitive, emotional demands to become uppermost in guiding moral behaviour.

Question 11

explain the theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 11

• Bowlby 1944- ability to form meaningful relations as an adult develops from having a warm loving relationship with mother.
• leads to affectionless psychopathy and lack of guilt, empathy. Likely to engage in acts of delinquency.

Question 12

explain the 44 juvinille thieves study

Answer 12

• through interviews with thieves and famillies
• 14 showed personality and behavioural characteristics that classed them as affectionless psychopathy
• of 14, 12 had long separation from mum during infancy esp first 2 years of their life.
• in non-offender group only 2 experienced similar seperation